By Sophie Kaufman on SwimSwam
2025 AQUATICS GB SWIMMING CHAMPIONSHIPS
Tuesday, April 15th – Sunday, April 20th Prelims at 9:30am local (4:30am ET)/Finals at 7pm local (2pm ET) London Aquatics Centre LCM (50m) Meet Central Aquatics GB World Championships Selection Criteria SwimSwam Preview Draft Entries Live Results LivestreamHello, everyone and welcome to the first finals session at the 2025 Aquatics GB Swimming Championships! This is the sole qualifying opportunity for British swimmers to qualify for the many international rosters for this year’s championships, including the World Championships in Singapore.
The action at the London Aquatic Centre starts with a quick flight of ‘B’ finals at 6pm local time; our live recap will begin with the main session at 7pm with the junior, multi-class para, and open finals of the women’s 50 breaststroke, men’s 400 freestyle, women’s 200 butterfly, men’s 100 breaststroke, and women’s 200 freestyle.
Top Seeds for the Open Finals:
Women’s 50 breaststroke: Kara Hanlon, Edinburgh Uni — 31.10 Men’s 400 freestyle: James Guy, Manchester PC — 3:50.28 Women’s 200 butterfly: Keanna Macinnes, Stirling — 2:10.15 Men’s 100 breaststroke: Gregory Butler, Loughborough PC — 1:00.23 Women’s 200 freestyle: Freya Colbert, Loughborough PC — 1:58.68After swearing off the 400 freestyle more than five years ago, the 29-year-old James Guy has returned to the event this season. He owns the British record with a 3:43.75, which he swam for silver at the 2015 World Championships. Guy was the only man to crack 3:51 in this morning’s heats, with fellow Olympian Jack McMillan from Stirling (3:51.19) and Kieran Bird (3:51.50) following behind him. He’s also the only one in this field that’s been under Aquatics GB’s tough 3:45.73 standard for Worlds consideration.
The women’s 200 butterfly projects as one of the closest races of the session, as three women cruised into the Open final with a 2:10. Keanna MacInnes, another Stirling Olympian, leads the way in 2:10.15, which is about three seconds off her lifetime best 2:07.24. MacInnes swam this event at the Paris Olympics, just missing the final and placing 9th.
Laura Stephens did make that Paris final and took 8th. She’ll swim next to MacInnes tonight after clocking a 2:10.69. Emily Richards (nee Large) will be on MacInnes’ other side after swimming a 2:10.27 in the heats. Edinburgh’s Ciara Scholsshan was the final swimmer under 2:11 this morning, clocking 2:10.87 for fourth heading into the final.
The men’s 100 breaststroke should be another close race. Four men are separated by .63 seconds after the heats. Gregory Butler earned lane four for the final with a 1:00.23, but Archie Goodburn (1:00.56) and Filip Nowacki (1:00.68) are lurking.
Women’s 50-Meter Breaststroke
Junior Final
British Record: 30.02 — Imogen Clark (2022) British Junior Record: 30.21 — Imogen Clark (2017)Top 3:
Imogen Myles, Seven Oaks — 31.83 Gabrielle Idle-Beavers, Mt. Kelly — 32.11 Charlotte Hardy, Millfield — 32.3015-year-old Imogen Myles kicked off the session by winning the junior final of the women’s 50-meter breaststroke. She swam a lifetime best 31.83, taking about four-tenths off her lifetime best with the swim. She was the sole swimmer in the final to break 32-seconds as Gabrielle Idle-Beavers swam 32.11 for second place.
Multi-Class Para Final
SB2 World Record: Ellie Challis, Great Britain — 1:04.33 (2022) SB2 British Record: Ellie Challis, Great Britain — 1:04.33 (2022)Top 3:
Ellie Challis, Manchester (SB2) — 1:10.52 (759 points)Paralympic champion Ellie Challis is the world record holder in the women’s SB2 50 breaststroke with the 1:04.33 she swam at the 2022 World Para Swimming Championships. She wasn’t close to her world record this morning but still described the swim as “better than this morning.”
She scored 759 points in the event with her 1:10.52 as she raced against only the clock in this evening’s final.
British Open Final
World Record: 29.16 — Rūta Meilutyte, Lithuania (2023) European Record: 29.16 — Rūta Meilutyte, Lithuania (2023) British Record: 30.02 — Imogen Clark (2022) 2025 Worlds Consideration Time: —Top 3:
Kara Hanlon, Edinburgh — 30.80 Anna Morgan, Edinburgh — 31.28 Jasmine Carter, Basildon — 31.40It was a strong start to the session for Edinburgh University as teammates Kara Hanlon and Anna Morgan went 1-2 in the women’s 50 breaststroke. Hanlon defended her status as the fastest woman in the event after prelims, lowering her season-best to a 30.80. She’s been as fast as 30.50, which she posted two years ago. Her teammate Morgan improved on her swim for this morning, dropping from a 31.50 to 31.28.
Jasmine Carter earned bronze out of lane eight. She clocked a 31.40, which is just two-hundredths off the lifetime best she swam in January of this year.
The Aquatics GB did not set a qualification time for this event, though they’ll have to going forward with the announcement that the stroke 50s will be on the schedule at the LA 2028 Games. So, we’ll have to wait to see how the 100 breaststroke turns out to see if any Team GB swimmers will be in the event in Singapore. Notably, Angharad Evans was absent from this event during prelims.
Men’s 400-Meter Freestyle
Junior Final
British Record: 3:43.75 — James Guy (2015) British Junior Record: 3:44.58 — James Guy (2014)Top 3:
Ethan Kelly, City of Liverpool — 3:57.54 Samuel Sterry, Tigers Jersey — 3:57.76 Kourosh Khodakhan, CO Leeds — 3:58.80Ethan Kelly blasted out to an early lead in the junior final of the 400 freestyle. But the rest of the field reeled him in during the middle 200 meters and with just 100 to go, it looked like Kelly had lost the momentum. But, he kicked back into gear down the stretch, using a phenomenal closing 25 meters or so to run down Samuel Sterry and Kourosh Khodakhan.
Kelly hit the wall at 3:57.54, lowering his lifetime best for the second time today. His lifetime best coming into these championships was a 4:01.35. He broke that during prelims, cracking the 4:00-barrier for the first time, before taking even more time off in this final.
Multi-Class Para Final
S8 World Record: 4:19.74 — Oliver Hynd, Great Britain (2017) S9 World Record: 4:09.93 — Brenden Hall, Australia (2013) S10 World Record: 3:57.71 — Maksym Krypak, Ukraine (2016) S8 British Record: 4:19.74 — Oliver Hynd, Great Britain (2017) S9 British Record: 4:18.30 — Lewis White (2018) S10 British Record: 4:07.05 — Robert Welbourn (2010)Top 3:
Tomas Navarro-Barber, Portsmouth (S9) — 4:32.05 (783 points) Bjorn-Sebastian Aaen, Hamilton (S9) — 4:33.90 (767 points) Kieran Williams, Manchester (S10) — 4:20.52 (759 points)As a reminder in our first para final with multiple swimmers, the important bit to pay attention to in these finals are the para points. In a multi-class para final like this one, it’s the points that determine placement rather than time, which allows swimmers to race each other across classes.
So, while Kieran Williams dropped three seconds from his prelims time and hit the wall first in 4:20.52, it’s Portsmouth’s Tomas Navarro-Barber who earns the gold medal in this race as his 4:32.05 earned 783 points. Williams actually settled for bronze, as Bjorn-Sebastian Aaen earned 767 points with his 4:33.90 to take home the silver medal.
British Open Final
World Record: 3:39.96 — Lukas Märtens, Germany (2025) European Record: 3:39.96 — Lukas Märtens, Germany (2025) British Record: 3:43.75 — James Guy (2015) 2025 Worlds Consideration Time: 3:45.43Top 3:
James Guy, Manchester — 3:46.64 Tyler Melbourne-Smith, Loughborough — 3:49.38 Jack McMillan, Stirling — 3:50.05Like Kelly in the junior final, James Guy wasted no time in the British Open men’s 400 freestyle final. He opened up a lead from the start, making the 100-meter turn in 52.59. He continued to extend his lead over the next 100, flipping 1:49.16 at the halfway point. He was well under his British record pace at that point.
Guy was still under his British record pace with 100 meters to go (2:46.89) even though it looked like the pain was certainly starting to set in on the third 100 meters. He fell off the pace over the final 100 meters, stopping the clock in 3:46.64. It’s a strong performance for Guy as he returned to this event for the first time in about eight years. However, the time did miss his British record and Aquatics GB’s Worlds Consideration time. That said, Guy is pre-selected to the World Championship team based on his performance at the Olympic Games.
Loughborough’s Tyler Melbourne-Smith earned silver in the event, touching .67 seconds ahead of Olympian Jack McMillan. Post-race, McMillan shared he’s also returning to this event for the first time in a few seasons and would “take the small win” of the 3:50.05 personal best.
Women’s 200-Meter Butterfly
Junior Final
British Record: 2:04.83 — Ellen Gandy (2009) British Junior Record: 2:04.83 — Ellen Gandy (2009)Top 3:
Abbie Roscoe, Wirral Metro — 2:12.13 Coco Croxford, East Kilbride — 2:13.74 Lucia Lesti, CO Salford — 2:14.55Coco Croxford held the lead for much of the race, but Wirral Metro’s Abbie Roscoe never let her get too far away. Roscoe made her move over the back half of the race, beginning to outsplit Croxford on the third 50. Roscoe moved into the lead with 50 meters to go and held on for the win in 2:12.13, hitting the qualification time for the European Junior Championships.
Croxford took second in 2:13.74, while Lucia Lesti swam 2:14.55 for third in the junior final.
British Open Final
World Record: 2:01.81 — Liu Zige, China (2009) European Record: 2:04.27 — Katinka Hosszu, Hungary (2009) British Record: 2:04.83 — Ellen Gandy (2009) 2025 Worlds Consideration Time: 2:07.96Top 3:
Keanna MacInnes, Stirling — 2:07.14 Worlds Consideration Time Emily Richards, Manchester — 2:08.25 Laura Stephens, Loughborough — 2:09.70Keanna MacInnes came on strong over the final 50 meters of the women’s 200 butterfly British Open final to win and post the first Aquatics GB Worlds Consideration Time of these championships. MacInnes, who finished 9th at the Paris Olympics, swam a lifetime best 2:07.14, dropping from the 2:07.24 she swam last April to qualify for the Games. She improves her standing as the sixth-fastest British woman in event history and had a special moment after the race receiving her medal from her mother, who was presenting the awards.
MacInnes did not move into the lead until the final 50 meters. Instead, it was Emily Richards (nee Large) who took the race on from the start. She opened in a 1:00.93 (28.60/32.33) eking out a lead on the field that included Team GB’s two representatives in Paris, MacInnes and Laura Stephens.
Though MacInnes went by her, Richards was able to hold onto second place, clocking a 2:08.25. Stephens finished third with a 2:09.70.
Men’s 100-Meter Breaststroke
Junior Final
British Record: 56.88 — Adam Peaty (2019) British Junior Record: 59.92 — Adam Peaty (2013)Top 3:
William Tonks, Repton — 1:01.90 Noah Wheeler, Chalfont — 1:03.66 Saxon Minto, Chelmsford — 1:03.72Repton’s William Tonks had an excellent outing in the junior final of the 100 breaststroke. He pulled away from the field with a 29.23, then extended the lead even further on the back half. Tonks stopped the clock in a lifetime best 1:01.90. He got under the European Juniors qualifying time, though with two juniors in the British Open final, he’ll have to wait to see if he’s indeed punched a ticket to the championships.
Multi-Class Para Final
SB6 World Record: 1:17.59 — Nelson Crispin Corzo, Colombia (2024) SB8 World Record: 1:07.01 — Andrei Kalina, Ukraine (2008) SB14 World Record: 1:02.75 — Naohide Yamaguchi, Japan (2023) SB6 British Record: 1:23.05 — Bruce Dee (2024) SB8 British Record: 1:14.92 — James Crisp (2013) SB14 British Record: 1:05.28 — Scott Quin (2019)Top 3:
Harry Stewart, Plymouth (SB14) — 1:06.15 (853 points) Bruce Dee, Northampton (SB6) — 1:23.27 (809 points) Cameron Vearncombe, Manchester (SB14) — 1:10.11 (716 points)It’s three Paralympians on the podium of the multi-class 100 breaststroke final. Harry Stewart, who broke out last year with a gold medal in the 100 breaststroke at the Para European Championships (his senior international debut), hit the wall first and earned the most para points, tallying 853 points with a 1:06.15. It’s faster than he went this morning but outside the consideration time for the 2025 Para Swimming World Championships later this year. Aquatics’ GB is known for their tough qualification times and that remains true for the para swimmers; Stewart would’ve needed a British record to get under the consideration time.
Bruce Dee, the British record holder in the SB6 classification, earned silver with 809 para points. He swam 1:23.27 to earn those points, joining Stewart in cracking 800 points with his swim. His time wasn’t far off his 1:23.05 British record. Manchester’s Cameron Vearncombe earned bronze with 716 para points.
British Open Final
World Record: 56.88 — Adam Peaty, Great Britain (2019) European Record: 56.88 — Adam Peaty, Great Britain (2019) British Record: 56.88 — Adam Peaty (2019) 2025 Worlds Consideration Time: 59.65Top 3:
Gregory Butler, Loughborough– 59.93 Max Morgan, Reeds School – 1:00.10 Filip Nowacki, Millfield – 1:00.28Gregory Butler broke the minute barrier in the men’s 100 breaststroke for the first time in his career tonight. After a controlled first 50 meters, Butler charged on the back half and was able to get under the barrier that he’s been trying to break by seven-hundredths, stopping the clock at 59.93.
It looked like the 17-year-old Max Morgan was in line for the win and possibly getting under the 1:00 mark as well. He slightly mistimed the finish and missed getting under the barrier, but his 1:00.10 still marks a new national age group record for the 17-year-old boys. Filip Nowacki rounded out the medalists with another lifetime best for himself, hitting 1:00.28.
It was odd to see a British final without Adam Peaty in the center of the pool but he was still on hand and lent his commentary from the booth for the race. He affirmed last week with the addition of the stroke 50s to the LA 2028 Games that his interest in the Games was renewed and he confirmed in the booth that he has yet to swim his final race.
Women’s 200-Meter Freestyle
Junior Final
British Record: 1:55.54 — Joanne Jackson (2009) British Junior Record: 1:55.82 — Siobhan-Marie O’Connor (2014)Top 3:
Phoebe Cooper, Sheffield – 1:59.11 Hollie Wilson, Leeds – 2:00.56 Amalie Smith, RTW Monson – 2:00.71Sheffield’s Phoebe Cooper had an exceptional swim in the 200 freestyle junior final. She won by taking almost a second off her lifetime best with a 1:59.11, breaking the 2:00 mark for the first time in her career. Her previous lifetime bets was a 2:00.06 from July 2024. The swim is well under the European Junior qualification time and could even land her a relay spot on the 2025 Worlds team depending on the results of the British Open final.
Multi-Class Para Final
Top 3:
Poppy Maskill, Manchester — 2:08.06 (901) Para Worlds Consideration Time Louise Fiddes, Hatfield (S14) — 2:08.11 (900) Para Worlds Consideration Time Olivia Newman-Baronius, Maxwell (S14) — 2:09.05 (880 points)Three-time Paris Paralympic gold medalist Poppy Maskill edged out Louise Hatfield by five-hundredths to win the Multi-Class para final of the women’s 200 freestyle. Both swim in the S14 classification and the five-hundredths made the difference, as Maskill earned 901 points and Fiddes 900.
While Maskill won, but both went under the Para Worlds Consideration time, which is the first time we’ve seen that at these championships.
British Open Final
World Record: 1:52.23 — Ariarne Titmus, Australia (2024) European Record: 1:52.98 — Federica Pellegrini, Italy (2009) British Record: 1:55.54 — Joanne Jackson (2009) 2025 Worlds Consideration Time: 1:56.65Top 4:
Freya Colbert, Loughborough — 1:55.76 Worlds Consideration Time Leah Scholsshan, Manchester — 1:57.80 Abbie Wood, Loughborough — 1:57.98 Lucy Hope, Stirling — 1:59.24Freya Colbert lit up the pool to close out the first finals session of these championships in London. She ripped a lifetime best 1:55.76, storming to the win and becomign the second-fastest British woman in history.
Her time rattled the British record of 1:55.54 that Joanne Jackson swam in 2009 as she came within .22 seconds of the mark. Colbert was previously the fourth-fastest on those rankings with the 1:55.95 she swam at the Paris Olympics. She’s now second in the world this season behind Liu Yaxin‘s 1:54.96.
2024-2025 LCM Women 200 Free
Liu CHNYaxin 03/231:54.962Freya ColbertGBR1:55.7604/153Mary-Sophie Harvey CAN1:56.4604/104Abbey WebbAUS1:56.6811/295Yang Peiqi CHN1:56.9003/23View Top 26»The swim booked her a ticket to Singapore but with the top four swimmers’ add-up under the 7:51.89 consideration time, Great Britain will also have a women’s 4×200 freestyle relay compete in Singapore. Leah Scholsshan touched second in 1:57.80, edging out Colbert’s Loughborough teammate Abbie Wood (1:57.98) who is better known on the international stage for her IM capabilities.
Stirling’s Lucy Hope rounds out the top four in the British Open final with a 1:59.24. Cooper’s winning time from the junior final (1:59.11) would’ve placed fourth in the big final.
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